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Memorial Ceremony to Gen. Schimmelfennig.

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In the lecture-room of the Mercantile Library a large audience gathered last evening, to do honor to the memory of the German Gen. SCHEMMELFINNIG, who recently died from disease contracted while in the discharge of active duty in the field. Those present were mainly Germans, a large number being ladies. The proceedings were interesting and impressive in character, and were gotten up under the immediate auspices of the "Unionbund," or German Union League.

The President of the Society, on opening the solemn ceremonies, spoke as follows:

SPEECH OF DR. SCHURZ.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: We have assembled to honor the memory of a man who fought gloriously for liberty and justice -- for the common cause of humanity -- in the old fatherland as well as in his adopted country. This noble son of Germany, a citizen and a defender of the Union, now reposes in the soil of the great republic, hallowed by the blood of thousands of heroes. We, adopted citizens, have laid him in his last American home as a testimony, as a holy pledge of our devotedness and of our love for the Union. Of all the offerings made by the nation for the salvation of the republic, none is purer and nobler than our departed brother. SCHIMMELFENNIG, by birth and education destined to be a soldier of royalty, was already in his native country, with full consciousness and of his own free choice, a combatant for the cause of the people. With the same elevation of thought, with the same devotedness he drew his sword in his new home, when the enemies of liberty and human rights challenged us to the conflict. What he did as a soldier on the battle-field was but the realization of what he, the profound thinker, the warm friend of humanity, bad long ago contemplated as the goal of his life. Neither accident, nor vain ambition, nor thoughtless impetuosity of youth, led him to the scene of war. He became a soldier of the republic, because as a citizen he wished to do his duty -- because as a man, in the great meaning of that word, he wished to accomplish his mission. In the gigantic struggle which the republic had to undertake for its salvation and for the future of the whole human race, SCHIMMELFENNIG found the place for which his lofty foul had always been longing. And destiny rewarded magnificently his noble aspirations. He, the scion of the old European nobility, but by conviction and choice soldier of the people, in the name of the Union and of human rights, led the free, the armed, the victorious negroes into that city, which had been the cradle of treason and of a barbarous tyranny.

If we now mourn over the premature loss of a citizen so devoted to the republic and to the cause of freedom and justice, if we grieve bitterly over the loss of a beloved friend, we find consolation in the thought that his life, although short, has been rich in noble sentiments, in great deeds.

The name of SCHIMMELFENNIG will shine in history as a symbol of the fraternity of the human race. His name will recall the great meaning of the war of the Union against the rebellion. The battle fought by the Republic, was the first holy battle of all nations for the eternal rights of humanity. And for this combat there rose a host such as was never known before in history, an army of the people, composed of the representatives of almost all the civilized nations. The French, the Italian, the Irish, the Polish, the Hungarian, the Swiss and our German flag unfurled -- over all floated the folds of the starry banner of the Union, whose motto " E Pluribus Unum" then shone in its full meaning.

I cannot better embody the spirit of this funeral ceremony than by quoting the sublime words which our martyr President spoke at the consecration of the cemetery of Gettsyburgh.

"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did hire. It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work that they have thus far so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation shall, under God, have a new birth of freedom, and that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

These noble words of patriotism and true statesmanship from that leader, whom we miss so much, shall be to-day, shall be forever our motto in the combat, which is not yet ended!

Dr. SCHURZ's eloquent address was listened to with the deepest attention.

Letters were read from Gen. HOOKER and Gen. SIGEL, expressing their regrets at not being able to be present at the meeting, both letters speaking in the highest terms of the worth and services of the gallant and departed hero, to whose memory they had met to pay tribute.

The Arion Glee Club sang an original anthem by FLEMING, in German, in a magnificent manner.

Herr FREDERICK KAPP made an impressive speech, in German, in memory of the deceased, giving a very interesting sketch of the General's life, setting forth his various services in the armies of the continent, and his earnest devotion to the cause of liberty in America; making special reference to the long and arduous service performed by Gen. SCHIMMELFENNIG during the recent war, and speaking of the fact that he had been mustered out of service before his death, his family thus losing the benefit of a pension.

Brig.-Gen. STEWART L. WOODFORD and Herr HUGO WESENDONK also made speeches during the evening.

A series of resolutions, setting forth the sentiments of the meeting, and determining to make persistent effort in behalf of the family of Gen. SCHIMMELFENNIG, were passed, and the meeting closed.

A version of this archives appears in print on September 22, 1865, on Page 8 of the New York edition with the headline: Memorial Ceremony to Gen. Schimmelfennig. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe